Dave Holland (drummer)

On 18 January 2018 it was announced that Holland had died a few days previously. No cause of death was provided.

On 22 January 2018, Spanish newspaper El Progreso reported that Holland had died on 16 January at Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti in Lugo, Spain. Holland had been living in the nearby town of A Fonsagrada. The newspaper reported that Holland's remains had been cremated. However, a doctor had said that the death was due to lung cancer.

Holland was scheduled for release from prison in 2012 and had reportedly served his full sentence that year.

In late 2006, Holland told author Neil Daniels in a letter from prison that he was in the process of writing his autobiography. Holland also stated his intent to appeal his conviction, saying "I was convicted of a crime that I didn't commit, and like so many others in similar situations to the one in which I find myself, an offense that never even existed in the first place...". He also railed against the legal system itself, telling Daniels "There is absolutely no difference whatsoever between the criteria that is permitted to be applied in sex offences now and that which was applied in cases of witchcraft in the 17th century."

In 2004, Holland was arrested and later found guilty by a jury at Northampton Crown Court of one count of attempted rape and five counts of indecent assault against a 17-year-old male with learning difficulties. The offences occurred at Holland's rural English home in 2002 against a boy to whom he had been hired to give drum lessons. The jury also found a co-accused, 22-year-old Spiros Laouitaris, not guilty of four counts of indecent assault. Following the verdict, Judge Charles Wide told the court that Holland had "deliberately and calculatedly planned a strategy to abuse a boy who he knew was exceptionally vulnerable". Holland had steadfastly denied all charges, telling the court "There might have been the odd hug or something like that. I know it is politically incorrect nowadays, but kids like to be shown a bit of affection." It was revealed at trial that the victim had occasionally spent the night at Holland's house while taking lessons, and his parents learned of what Holland was doing when they received a letter from their son detailing the sexual abuse. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. In an interview during the criminal proceedings, Holland revealed publicly for the first time that he was bisexual.

Throughout the 1990s, besides touring with briefly reformed Trapeze and filling in for various bands like The Screaming Jets during their European tours, Holland gave drum clinics and private lessons, managed and produced bands such as UK band The Love Garden and the Swedish "teen funk trio" Shutlanger Sam (fronted by Kim Fransson who later had a solo career where he collaborated with among others hit songwriters Andreas Carlsson and Desmond Child) whom Holland introduced in person at a show with his former Trapeze bandmate Glenn Hughes in Vänersborg 1996, and played on various recordings of his former mates. In 1996, he participated in sessions that involved Glenn Hughes, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame, and keyboardist Don Airey. In 1998, a collaboration with Al Atkins, Judas Priest's original singer, was released, featuring a few covers of early Priest songs that Holland did not originally play on. Judas Priest with Atkins at the helm had supported Trapeze in 1971.

In 1989, personal problems (health and family issues) and musical differences forced Holland to leave Judas Priest. He was replaced by original Saints Or Sinners drummer Scott Travis, who had also previously played in the band Racer X.

During the 1980s, Holland also collaborated with guitarist Robin George, as part of his band Life and on George's solo project, Dangerous Music.

In 1979 and 1980, Holland recorded some drum parts for Justin Hayward's solo albums, Songwriter and Night Flight.

Holland left Trapeze and joined Judas Priest in August 1979. He played drums on many of Judas Priest's platinum albums, such as British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, Defenders of the Faith, Turbo and Ram It Down.

In 1978 Trapeze recorded their last studio LP, Running/Hold On.

Holland stayed with the band until August 1968, when he joined Finders Keepers, a pop cover outfit. However, Holland continued studio session work. He did not play on a 1969 No. 5 hit single "Smile a Little Smile for Me" released by the band that used to be Pinkerton's Assorted Colours under the name of The Flying Machine.

In early 1965 he was with Northampton band Dorian Gray. Later that year Holland was persuaded to leave and join The Liberators who had recording and management contracts ready within a few weeks to evolve into Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, a pop band that put autoharp to good use, taking after The Loving Spoonful. In 1966 a single, "Mirror Mirror" (released 15 January 1966 on Decca, produced by future The Moody Blues producer Tony Clarke), peaked at No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart.

David Holland (5 April 1948 – 16 January 2018) was an English heavy metal drummer born in Northampton, England. Holland is best remembered for his time with the bands Trapeze from 1969 to 1979 and Judas Priest from 1979 to 1989.